Sept. 4, 2006
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LOBOS-AGGIES NO. 97 –
The 97th meeting between New Mexico (0-1) and New Mexico State (1-0) is Saturday in Las Cruces. Kickoff is 6 p.m. Mountain Time from Aggie Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised live by KRQE-TV in Albuquerque. UNM has not started 0-2 since losing the first three games of the 2000 season.
The Lobos have a 63-28-5 lead in the series that began Jan. 1, 1894, 18 years before the territory of New Mexico was admitted to the Union. The 96 total games makes UNM-NMSU the 35th-longest series in the NCAA record book. Wisconsin-Minnestota is the all-time leader at 115 games. The Lobos and Aggies have played every year since 1946.
New Mexico has won three in a row over NMSU, including 38-21 last year in Albuquerque in front of a state-record crowd of 44,760 at University Stadium. UNM’s last four-game winning streak against the Aggies was five in a row from 1993-97. The Lobos have not won consecutive games in Las Cruces since 1994 and `96.
The Lobos prevailed 38-3 two years ago for their largest margin in 43 games in Las Cruces. D.D. Cox rushed for 110 yards and 3 TDs subbing for an injured DonTrell Moore.
New Mexico is coming off a disappointing 17-6 home loss to Portland State. The Aggies snapped a 13-game losing skid with a 30-15 triumph over Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday.
New Mexico looks to extend a three-game road winning streak. After losing at TCU last Oct. 1, the Lobos won their final three contests away from Albuquerque: at Wyoming, San Diego State and Utah. They were 4-2 overall on the road in 2005. The last time UNM won four straight away from home was the last three games of 2004 (at UNLV, Colorado State and BYU) and the 2005 road opener at Missouri.
SEASON TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE –
A prorated six-game season ticket package remains available through Sept. 15. Call (505) 925-5626 for more information. Through Friday, Sept. 1, a total of 15,403 season tickets had been sold. UNM fans purchased a school-record 17,404 season tickets in 2005.
NEW MEXICO IN 2006 –
The Lobos are gunning for their sixth straight non-losing season, a feat only accomplished during a seven-year run from 1958-64.
New Mexico head coach Rocky Long welcomes a young team that returns just 35 lettermen, the fewest in the Mountain West Conference. Despite that figure, the Lobos were picked to finish fifth in the MWC. The total includes just 10 returning starters on offense and defense, plus a kicker and a deep snapper. As of Aug. 25, the roster breakdown lists 16 seniors, 27 juniors, 18 sophomores and 47 true or redshirt freshman.
In addition to a lot of new players on the field, New Mexico has four new coaches, a new offense, a slightly different defense and a new philosophy for special teams. Only two assistant coaches from 2005 are overseeing the same positions they had last year: Cornell Jackson (running backs) and Troy Reffett (cornerbacks).
Three new assistants are on offense. The Lobos’ new West Coast attack is being guided by Bob Toledo, formerly the head coach at UCLA and Rocky Long’s boss with the Bruins in 1996-97. Toldeo is assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. Veteran assistant Bob Stanley has taken over offensive line duties for Bob Bostad, who accepted the same position at Wisconsin, while Todd Throckmorton oversees the tight ends. That was a vacancy made available following Grady Stretz’s departure to Arizona State in the winter.
Danny Gonzales moves from his position as video coordinator to coaching the safeties and punters. Gonzales has been with the program – either as a player, volunteer or on staff – since 1994. Jason Strauss, tight ends coach the past four years, is now the video coordinator
Defensive coordinator Osia Lewis and Lenny Rodriguez switched position responsibilities. Lewis is mentoring the linebackers, Rodriguez the defensive line. Rodriguez begins his ninth season on Rocky Long’s staff, giving him the longest tenure for a Lobo assistant since personnel records were available in the late 1940s.
The defense has changed somewhat in that Long has brought back the lobo position made famous in the late 1990s by Brian Urlacher, now in his seventh season as middle linebacker with the Chicago Bears. UNM is employing two lobos, which is a linebacker-safety hybrid.
Dan Dodd, the Lobos’ offensive coordinator from 2000-05, is now in charge of recruiting, special teams, receivers and kickers. One coach was in charge of all special teams last year, but now Dodd oversees several assistants who may have one of more of the special team units.
HEAD COACH Rocky Long –
The school’s career leader in wins, head coach Rocky Long is in his ninth season at his alma mater. The only coach to guide New Mexico to three bowl games, Long has coached more games (97) than any other Lobo mentor. He has a 46-51 record, but is 34-28 since 2001. See p. 11 for more informaton about Long’s career.
NEW MEXICO STATE INFO –
The Aggies ended the nation’s longest losing streak at 13 games last Thursday with a 30-15 victory over Southeastern Louisiana. NMSU generated 515 yards of total offense, including 381 yards passing by QB Chase Holbrook. Holbrook completed 29 of 40 passes with 2 TDs and no interceptions. Former Rio Rancho High School standout Chris Williams caught 7 passes for 146 yards, including a 37-yard score. TB Justine Buries rushed for 107 yards on 22 carries. The Aggies did lose four fumbles.
The NMSU defense limited SE Louisiana to just 218 yards of total offense and forced two turnovers.
LAST YEAR VS. NEW MEXICO STATE –
DonTrell Moore ran for 120 yards to become New Mexico’s all-time career rushing leader and Kole McKamey threw two touchdown passes in the 38-21 win over New Mexico State.
Moore’s record setter was an 8-yard run up the middle to the New Mexico State 24 with 10:26 left in the second quarter. Three plays later he took a screen pass from McKamey, cut to his left and went in untouched from 24 yards. The score capped a 91-yard, 19-play drive that consumed 9 1/2 minutes and gave the Lobos a 14-0 lead. The march was aided by an NMSU rounghing-the-punter penalty.
Gabriel Fulbright had two interceptions, both of which led to Lobo points. The first, just before halftime, set up Kenny Byrd’s 36-yard field goal and the second, which he picked off at the NMSU 36 and returned to the 18, set up a 3-yard touchdown by Moore. That drive took just 1:08 and three plays, with Moore accounting for all 18 yards with three rushes.
McKamey was a picture of productivity. He was 12-of-19 passing for 172 yards and his 17-yard TD pass to tight end John Mulchrone on the Lobos’ opening drive set the tone. The one mistake McKamey made was to throw an interception – the Lobos’ first turnover this season. Aggie safety Eric Carrie picked off McKamey’s pass in the end zone in the third quarter.
Attendance was a University Stadium record 44,760 – the biggest crowd ever to watch a football game in the state of New Mexico…the previous best was the 44,075 that saw UNM defeat New Mexico State 24-7 on Sept. 27, 2003
QB Kole McKamey became the first Lobo to record at least 150 yards rushing and 150 yards passing in a game…he notched the third 100-yard rushing game of his career, finishing with 152 yards on 14 carries…the 152 yards ties a career-high set against Wyoming on Nov. 20, 2004…McKamey gave UNM a 21-0 lead with his 71-yard TD off an option keeper
The Lobos marched on one of the longest scoring drives in school history en route to their second TD of the night…the 19-play, 91-yard drive ran 9:30 off the clock…the plays and time of possession were the longest in head coach Rocky Long’s tenure…the drive was possible after a roughing the punter penalty against the Aggies
The UNM defense collected 6 sacks led by junior LB Quincy Black’s 1.5 sacks…Black also had six tackles…UNM entered the game with 3 sacks
LOBOS FROM LAS CRUCES –
Lobo junior safety Tyson Ditmore is a 2004 graduate of Las Cruces High School where he was an all-state receiver and defensive back.
His older brother Dustin was a tight end at New Mexico State from 2001-03. Tyson’s father (Jim) and mother (Lori) both graduated from NMSU and still work at the school, dad in the chili-breeding program in the College of Agriculture and mom in the Office of Distance Education.
True freshman WR Chris Hernandez graduated from Las Cruces Mayfield in May of 2006. He helped the Trojans to the 2005 state 5A title and an undefeated season (14-0). Hernandez caught 70 passes for 1,084 yards and 10 TDs while earning first team all-state honors.
PORTLAND STATE RECAP AND POSTGAME NOTES –
Sawyer Smith threw two second half touchdown passes and Portland State took advantage of numerous New Mexico mistakes in a 17-6 win Saturday night by the Division I-AA Vikings.
Portland State rallied from a 6-0 halftime deficit as Smith threw TD passes of 39 yards to Brendan Ferrigno in the third quarter and 26 yards to Tremayne Kirkland early in the fourth quarter. Eric Azorr added a 42-yard field goal as the Vikings stunned the Mountain West Conference-member Lobos.
New Mexico’s offense, under first-year offensive coordinator and former UCLA head coach Bob Toledo, struggled all night. The Lobos had 339 total yards to Portland State’s 233, but could muster only a pair of first half field goals from Kenny Byrd from 29 and 24 yards.
The Lobos also did their share to help the Vikings pull off the upset. They had two turnovers and picked up 11 penalties for 93 yards.
The Vikings’ comeback started after New Mexico failed to convert on a fourth-and-1 from midfield on the opening drive of the second half. Portland State took over and needed just four plays to take the lead on the Smith to Ferrigno pass.
Azorr gave the Vikings a 10-6 lead with his field goal. That drive was kept alive when New Mexico linebacker Major Mosley was called for a face mask penalty after the Lobos appeared to have stopped the Vikings on third-and-four near midfield.
A muffed punt by New Mexico halfback Paul Baker was recovered by Kelena Ho’okano at the New Mexico 29 with 13:36 left in the game. Smith scrambled for 15 yards to the New Mexico 4, but the play was wiped out by a personal foul on the Vikings. A motion penalty and a fumble by Smith that he recovered gave Portland State a second-and-17 from the 29, but Smith delivered the clinching touchdown pass to Kirkland, who broke a couple of tackles on his way to the end zone.
New Mexico won virtually every statistic, but failed to sustain drives and could not keep Smith from making the big plays. McKamey completed 21 of 36 passes for 274 yards.
Participation Chart:
A total of 48 players saw action in Saturday’s game…20 made their Lobo debut while 9 had their first career start in a New Mexico uniform…the breakdown of participants by class was 10 seniors (only 2 on defense), 21 juniors, 10 sophomores, 6 redshirt freshmen and 1 true freshman (Jerome Jenkins)…seven of the 11 defensive starters played at least 62 of the 65 snaps, including penalties
Home Skid Continues:
The Lobos have lost 4 straight home games for the first time since a 5-game drought from 1998-99…in those 4 games, UNM has been outscored 78-17 in the second half, including 59-8 in the 4th quarter
In New Mexico’s last five home games opponents have outscored UNM 73-8 in the 4th quarter.
Running Low:
New Mexico’s 65 yards rushing are the fewest since 6 against Oregon State in the 2003 Las Vegas Bowl
No TDs:
The Lobos failed to score an offensive touchdown in a home game for the first time since a 28-7 loss to Utah in 2004…UNM scored on a fumble return against the Utes…the last time New Mexico failed to score a TD at home was in a 49-0 loss to Texas Tech in 2002
Stat Winners:
New Mexico had more rushing yards (65-60), passing yards (274-173) and total yards (339-233) than the Vikings…UNM also had more turnovers (2-1)
Short Field:
Portland State only have to travel 119 yards for its 17 points in the second half
Penalties Costly:
UNM was penalized 11 times for 93 yards, the highest totals in a season opener since 2001 when the Lobos were whistled 17 times for 122 yards against UTEP…the Lobos’ season high for penalties last year was 11 for 81 yards at Wyoming while the season average was 7.4 calls for 56.2 yards a game
Of the 11 penalties last Saturday, 7 came on defense, 4 of those providing first downs for Portland State…the yellow-flag breakdown was 5 offsides, 1 late hit and 1 facemask on defense, 2 holding calls on offense and a pair of illegal blocks on special teams…
Sackless:
The Lobos did not record a sack in the game, while allowing six by Portland State
PSU linebacker Adam Hayward had four of the Vikings’ six sacks…that is the most by a Lobo opponent since Setema Gali of BYU had four in 1999
Small Crowd:
Attendance was 27,535, the lowest at University Stadium since Nov. 11, 2002, when the Lobos drew 26,115 for the regular season finale vs. Wyoming…it’s the smallest crowd for a home opener since 2000 (22,090 vs. Boise State)…UNM averaged a school-record 38,341 fans last year
Junior WR Marcus Smith had career-highs of 8 catches and 85 yards…Smith had 9 receptions for 89 yards in first 23 games of his career, 6 for 56 last year
Junior TB Rodney Ferguson had career-highs of 65 yards on 15 carries…making his first Lobo start, Ferguson had 48 yards on 11 carries in 8 games as a true freshman in 2004
Junior WR Travis Brown set career-highs with 93 yards receiving…he tied a career-high for the 4th time with 6 catches
Senior QB Kole McKamey had the second most passing yards of his career – 274…his career high is 288 vs. UNLV in 2005…McKamey connected on 21-36 attempts with one INT…it’s the seventh time he has passed for over 200 yards, the second time with 250+ yards
McKamey is now 4th at UNM in career completion percentage (55.4%), 7th in pass completions (279), 8th in TD passes (21), 9th in passing yards (3,359) and 9th in total offense (4,199)…he needs 263 yards of offense to pass his head coach, Rocky Long, for 7th on the all-time list…Long totaled 4,461 yards from 1969-71
Senior K and Lou Groza Award candidate Kenny Byrd made both of his FG attempts from 29 and 24 yards…Byrd is now 16 of 20 in his Lobo career for 80% accuracy…the school record for highest conversion rate is 81.8 (27-33) by Vladimir Borombozin from 2000-01
QUICKER PLAY CLOCK = FEWER PLAYS, SHORTER GAME –
The change in when the play clock starts certainly affected the game. The Lobos ran 67 plays, the fewest since 62 last year against Colorado State, and nine less than last year’s per-game-average of 76.2. Portland State snapped it just 55 times, the least by an opponent since 54 by Wyoming a year ago. Opponents averaged nearly 69 snaps in 2005. For the game, UNM and PSU ran 122 plays, which is 23 less than last year’s combined average of 145.
The game time was 2:53, the shortest for UNM since 2:50 against Colorado State in 2000. The average length of New Mexico’s 11 games last year was 3:24 with the shortest duration being 2:58 at UTEP. The remaining 10 games were all 3:17 or longer.